Interlayer magnetoresistance of strongly correlated electron materials. The continued rapid expansion of information and entertainment technology requires new materials and devices for information storage. State of the art computer and iPod memories utilise advanced materials composed of layers of atoms, recognised by the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physics. These materials have metallic properties quite unlike those of simple metals such as copper and brass. This research will lead to a greater underst ....Interlayer magnetoresistance of strongly correlated electron materials. The continued rapid expansion of information and entertainment technology requires new materials and devices for information storage. State of the art computer and iPod memories utilise advanced materials composed of layers of atoms, recognised by the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physics. These materials have metallic properties quite unlike those of simple metals such as copper and brass. This research will lead to a greater understanding of and ability to design the next generation of materials. Australia's capacity for research and development in this scientifically challenging and technologically important field will be enhanced by this project. Read moreRead less
The theory of interferometers in nano-scale electronics. Soon the electronic circuits in computer chips will be so small that new effects due to quantum phyiscs will become important.
The proposed research will provide a better understanding of a range of nano-scale electronic devices including electron interferometers based on quantum points contacts and quantum dots.
Sepcifically, a new understanding of quantum coherent phenomena
in nano-scale interferometers will offers a potential ap ....The theory of interferometers in nano-scale electronics. Soon the electronic circuits in computer chips will be so small that new effects due to quantum phyiscs will become important.
The proposed research will provide a better understanding of a range of nano-scale electronic devices including electron interferometers based on quantum points contacts and quantum dots.
Sepcifically, a new understanding of quantum coherent phenomena
in nano-scale interferometers will offers a potential application
to other quantum technologies important to the future
of computing.
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Decoherence and Quantum Simulations of Spin-Environment systems. The effort to develop quantum technologies relies on our ability to understand and manipulate quantum mechanical objects with great precision. In order to do this, we need to study how such systems interact with their surroundings. Solid-state quantum systems connected to an environment show a rich range of phenomena, such as quantum phase transitions, which are interesting in their own right. This work will better enable experi ....Decoherence and Quantum Simulations of Spin-Environment systems. The effort to develop quantum technologies relies on our ability to understand and manipulate quantum mechanical objects with great precision. In order to do this, we need to study how such systems interact with their surroundings. Solid-state quantum systems connected to an environment show a rich range of phenomena, such as quantum phase transitions, which are interesting in their own right. This work will better enable experimentalists to develop the techniques required for the future of quantum technology.Read moreRead less
Modelling quantum dynamics of electronic excited states in complex molecular materials. Understanding new materials that are the basis of new sources of renewable energy sources represents a major scientific challenge. Many of these materials are composed of large organic molecules containing hundreds of atoms. Their properties and the concepts needed to understand these materials are distinctly different from semiconductors such as silicon. This research will enhance our ability to design bett ....Modelling quantum dynamics of electronic excited states in complex molecular materials. Understanding new materials that are the basis of new sources of renewable energy sources represents a major scientific challenge. Many of these materials are composed of large organic molecules containing hundreds of atoms. Their properties and the concepts needed to understand these materials are distinctly different from semiconductors such as silicon. This research will enhance our ability to design better materials and optimize the performance of organic solar cells and LEDs. Australia's capacity for research and development in this scientifically challenging and technologically important field will be enhanced by this project. Read moreRead less
Mathematical modelling of dye-sensitised titania solar cells: a route to improved efficiency in production. Dye-sensitised titania solar cells (DSCs) provide a technically and economically credible alternative to silicon photovotaic devices. Increasing the efficiency of commercially produced DSCs to 12% from the current production cell efficiency of 6%,will result in significantly lower delivered energy costs than the current alternative photovoltaic devices. This project will develop a mathemat ....Mathematical modelling of dye-sensitised titania solar cells: a route to improved efficiency in production. Dye-sensitised titania solar cells (DSCs) provide a technically and economically credible alternative to silicon photovotaic devices. Increasing the efficiency of commercially produced DSCs to 12% from the current production cell efficiency of 6%,will result in significantly lower delivered energy costs than the current alternative photovoltaic devices. This project will develop a mathematical model of a DSC as a first stage in the development of a decision support capability for the manufacture of more efficient DSC's. The model will extend existing models to incorporate full transport modelling and side-reactions in the electrolyte and will be validated by experimental work.Read moreRead less
Quantum states of matter: from spin liquids to superconductors. Condensed matter physics has produced the technologies and materials that fuelled the digital and communications revolution. The scientific importance of condensed matter physics is indicated by the fact that ten Nobel prizes have been awarded for work in this field since 1990. This proposal brings together world leading chemists, experimental physicists and theoretical physicists from Australia, USA and UK to work on highly interdi ....Quantum states of matter: from spin liquids to superconductors. Condensed matter physics has produced the technologies and materials that fuelled the digital and communications revolution. The scientific importance of condensed matter physics is indicated by the fact that ten Nobel prizes have been awarded for work in this field since 1990. This proposal brings together world leading chemists, experimental physicists and theoretical physicists from Australia, USA and UK to work on highly interdisciplinary projects designed to discover how quantum mechanics leads to the novel properties of chemically complex materials. Such materials will be of central importance to the technologies of the future such as computer memories and the superconducting magnets in hospital MRI machines.Read moreRead less
Strongly correlated electron models for organic superconductors. In conventional metals such as copper the interactions between the electrons do not qualitively change the behaviour of the material. However, over the last few decades many materials have been discovered whose behaviours are dominated by the interactions between electrons. These 'strongly correlated' materials include technologically important materials used in power distribution, catalysis and plastic display technologies. This p ....Strongly correlated electron models for organic superconductors. In conventional metals such as copper the interactions between the electrons do not qualitively change the behaviour of the material. However, over the last few decades many materials have been discovered whose behaviours are dominated by the interactions between electrons. These 'strongly correlated' materials include technologically important materials used in power distribution, catalysis and plastic display technologies. This project will combine theoretical and experimental methods from chemistry and physics in an effort to explain the novel behaviours seen in certain classes of organic strongly correlated materials. This understanding has the potential to impact future electronic devices and advanced materials.Read moreRead less
Spin-liquids, antiferromagnetism, and superconductivity in organic charge transfer salts: synthesis, neutron scattering and theory. Materials have driven the digital revolution. Understanding and controlling silicon has allowed us to make smaller devices that perform better; an iPhone has more computing power than a PC had ten years ago. For this remarkable trend to continue future devices will need to utilise novel physics and be made from new materials. We will grow crystals of organic molecul ....Spin-liquids, antiferromagnetism, and superconductivity in organic charge transfer salts: synthesis, neutron scattering and theory. Materials have driven the digital revolution. Understanding and controlling silicon has allowed us to make smaller devices that perform better; an iPhone has more computing power than a PC had ten years ago. For this remarkable trend to continue future devices will need to utilise novel physics and be made from new materials. We will grow crystals of organic molecules, whose properties derive from the correlated motion of the electrons in these materials. State-of-the-art 'neutron scattering' experiments will test theories of the way the electrons behave in these materials. We will answer fundamental questions, which is an important first step towards harnessing such effects for future technology.Read moreRead less
Spin tunnelling transport and quantum effects in magnetic nanostructures. A new field of "spintronics" takes advantage of the spin of electrons and revolutionises electronics leading to quantum devices. By understanding the behaviour of electron spin in materials we can learn new fundamentals in solid-state physics that will lead to a new generation of electronic, optoelectronic and magneto-electronic devices. The aim of this project is to study the spin tunnelling transport and noise, and relat ....Spin tunnelling transport and quantum effects in magnetic nanostructures. A new field of "spintronics" takes advantage of the spin of electrons and revolutionises electronics leading to quantum devices. By understanding the behaviour of electron spin in materials we can learn new fundamentals in solid-state physics that will lead to a new generation of electronic, optoelectronic and magneto-electronic devices. The aim of this project is to study the spin tunnelling transport and noise, and related quantum effects in various magnetic nanostructures, such as ferromagnet/semiconductor/ferromagnet junctions, using quantum statistics approsches. The outcome of the project is of considerable relevance to the researches of nanostructure and quantum information/computation in Australia.Read moreRead less
Decoherence in quantum computing and quantum electromechanical systems. Australia is one of the world leaders in fundamental studies and implementation of quantum computing and quantum electromechanical systems. By developing a framework to quantify and control noise due to decoherence in such systems, this research will facilitate progress in the development and understanding of quantum computing and quantum electromechanical devices. The project will also significantly strengthen the general r ....Decoherence in quantum computing and quantum electromechanical systems. Australia is one of the world leaders in fundamental studies and implementation of quantum computing and quantum electromechanical systems. By developing a framework to quantify and control noise due to decoherence in such systems, this research will facilitate progress in the development and understanding of quantum computing and quantum electromechanical devices. The project will also significantly strengthen the general representation of research on decoherence, a field of crucial importance to many areas of theoretical and experimental physics, in Australia. Funding of this project will enable Australia to further expand its leading position in cutting-edge science and next-generation technology.
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